|
On playing without Lauren Jackson:
I do not think that losing this game has anything to do with not having Lauren Jackson on the team. I think that the team is rusty right now. Two of our star players were gone during the break, and that has a lot to do with the team not playing well together.
On what the Storm needs to improve:
We need to work on our defense. We gave up 45 points two nights ago in 20 minutes to Sacramento. Tonight we also gave up a lot of points. We were a good defensive team up until this break, and it seems like we have lost our edge in that regard.
|
On her altercation with Tamecka Dixon:
There was a lot of trash talking.
On the Storm's gameplan:
The game plan for tonight was to be aggressive and focus on ourselves offensively and defensively.
On the execution of the gameplan:
I think we executed very well tonight on the offensive end. Towards the end of the game, we gave the Sparks some problems on the defensive end. We just came up one basket short.
|
On the final meeting between these teams on Sep. 18:
Obviously, both teams were missing some players and this was a very competitive game. Hopefully for us, that game will decide who gets the number one seed in the Western Conference. We still have a lot of games ahead of us and I know our team will be ready to play the Sparks and win.
On the loss:
You can always pull out positives and negatives out of a game. The bottom line is that we were in a position to win this game and we lost. All we can do now is concentrate on the next game.
|
On the Sparks depth:
Our team is very deep. We can go with anyone of our bench players as a starter. We do not look at them as bench players, we look at them as second starters. Doneeka Hodges came in and stepped up for us, Tamika Whitmore came in at the last second when Tamecka was ejected, stepped in ready to play. They're always ready to go.
On what the league will see when it reviews the altercation:
Hopefully they will not see Tamecka throwing a punch. I did not see her throwing a punch. I saw an elbow and I saw them get in each other’s face, but we have to keep working through that and move on. We will have to see what the judgment is on that.
On an appeal to the league:
I’m sure (GM) Penny Toler will look at it and if we consider the judgment incorrect, then we will appeal it.
|
On Hodges stepping into the starting lineup:
Doneeka had to step in and start and I thought she did a great job. No one would have thought that she was not a starter if they were here for the first time.
On playing without Dixon:
Losing Tamecka in the end showed our perseverance and a lot of heart.
On getting the win:
It is a huge win; we like to take care of the home court. We like to think that we can dictate Seattle’s fate and we did not want them to come in here and get one, so it was important for us to get the win against them.
|
On the altercation:
She (Lennox) threw an elbow and then she got in my face. I was just clearing my personal space and they called a double tech and then they threw me out. I guess they said I threw a punch, but I did not.
On getting the win:
This is big. We need to continue to build on it. My teammates did a good job of protecting my back when I went out. We got the win, so I am just happy.
Notes:
